Cooking Substitute

You can substitute mayo in your cake for the eggs and oil. 

Example if your just substituting the oil 1/2 of mayo = 1/2 of oil

Also substitute mayo for eggs. 1/4 cup for each egg. 

Self-rising flour is made by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup all purpose flour.

I use healthy oils for baking. I also replace oil for butter. If you want though you can substitute oil by using: applesauce, fruit puree or yogurt. I have used applesauce. If you make brownies and add applesauce instead of oil your kids might complain, mine did.

If you don't have buttermilk you can make your own but adding 1 Tablespoon of either fresh lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk. I have made it using the vinegar.

Out of eggs? Use any of these substitutes in place of 1 egg: 1/4 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup vegetable oil or 1/4 cup mashed banana.

Cut a recipe in half: 

3/4 cup is 6 Tablespoons - 2/3 cup is 1/3 cup - 1/2 cup is 1/4 cup - 1/3 cup is 2 teaspoons plus 2 Tablespoons - 1/4 cup is 2 Tablespoons - 1 Tablespoon is 1 1/2 teaspoons - 1 teaspoon is 1/2 teaspoon - 1/2 teaspoon is 1/4 teaspoon. 

Heavy Cream Substitute 

If you need heavy cream for a recipe, make your own by combining 2/3 cup whole milk with 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter. This will give you 1 cup of heavy cream. (I normally don't use unsalted butter and recipes that call for it I just use salted butter.)

Maple syrup instead of corn syrup.

  

Carrot Cake - Chocolate Cake & Frosting

My husband’s favorites 

Old Fashion Carrot Cake

Ingredients

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups sugar (I used less then 2 cups and used half white half coconut sugar. Next time will try all coconut).

1 cup canola oil (I don’t use junk oils. I used almond oil or avocado. 

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 to 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups grated carrots

FROSTING:

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

1 cup chopped walnuts, optional 

Optional: Orange and green food coloring

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and oil. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; beat into egg mixture. Stir in carrots.

2. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. I use an oblong cake pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

3. For frosting, in another large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Add enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting for decorating if desired. If desired, stir walnuts into remaining frosting. 

4. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. If decorating the cake, tint 1/4 cup reserved frosting orange and 1/4 cup green. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert #7 round pastry tip. Fill the bag with orange frosting. Pipe 16 carrots on top of cake, so each piece will have a carrot. Using #67 leaf pastry tip and the green frosting, pipe a leaf at the top of each carrot. 

5. Store cake in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Cake

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (I use coconut sugar)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon salt (I don't use that much)
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla (I don't use)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda AND powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil (right now I have always used avocado oil but sometime I will try almond oil)

Oven to 350 degree's. Grease and flour two nine inch or one oblong pan.
Mix all the ingredients together. Now add 1 cup boiling water. Pour into prepared pan or pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

You can substitute mayo in your cake for the eggs and oil. 

Example if your just substituting the oil 1/2 of mayo = 1/2 of oil

Also substitute mayo for eggs. 1/4 cup for each egg. 

Frosting

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

2 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 Tablespoons butter softened
5 Tablespoons evaporated (I use regular milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter then add the rest of ingredients. Frost and enjoy. 

Butter Frosting

1/3 cup butter softened
4 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the sugar. Beat well. Slowly beat in the milk, vanilla and remaining sugar. Beat well. Frost and eat.

Homemade Extracts

All the same basically. They all use Vodka. They all take 5-6 weeks. They all store in cool dry place. They all say tilt and turn upside down every few days. Someone told me they use bourbon instead of the vodka or half and half. I have made the vanilla. Very good. 

Vanilla Extract

3 whole vanilla beans - Vodka

Cut your vanilla beans in half, then split open each half to expose the vanilla seeds on the inside of the pod. Place cut vanilla beans inside your glass bottle. Add vodka, filling up to the neck of the bottle. Seal tightly and store bottle in cool, dry place. Every few days, tilt the bottle upside down to gently mix the liquids inside. After 5 to 6 weeks, you have extract. If you leave the beans, when you start running low you just add more vodka and wait a little time.

Mint

1/2 cup mint leaves - Vodka

Stuff mint leaves into your glass bottle. Using a chopstick, skewer, or other poking device, lightly bruise/crush the leaves inside the bottle. Add vodka, filling to the neck of the bottle. Every few days tilt bottle. Can't save the leaves this time and you should sieve to another bottle to get remaining leave pieces out.

Orange 

1 large navel orange - Vodka

Peel thin strips of zest from 1/2 of your orange. Place zest in bottle. Add vodka, filling up to the neck. Every few days tilt and turn upside down. 5-6 weeks later. Leave orange peel in bottle if you want. I probably won't.

Lemon 

1 large lemon - Vodka

Peel thin strips of zest from your lemon. Place in bottle. Add Vodka to the neck. Tilt.

These are from Gemma. She has almond too but a bit more complicated.